Nearing Hell: Voldemort's Return
by Amics Per Sempre
Summary: The title pretty much explains the plot. The full effect of his return bares down on Harry and Co. Romance blossoms as lives are threatened and people are tested. Also training begins.


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Hey: I HAVE read all **5 **_books, so this is going to be a _**BIG _spoiler _**for the 5th book- the Order of The Phoenix. So I suggest you **READ THE 5th BOOK BEFORE READING THIS!!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anyone/thing from the books… I just own this plot…

…Now on with the story…

Nearing Hell: The Return of Voldemort 

"Goodbye sanity."

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Chapter One

Harry sat quietly on the edge of his bed at Number Four Privet Drive. He was thoroughly miserable. After about a day or so in this place, that he now understood protected him through his mother's blood, grief swept over him as he mourned his lost godfather. Maybe finally being truly alone in a house with people that despised him had led him to the thoughts of what had happened… and with those he finally broke down… and he cried. 

Being almost 17 and having been through so many horrible things had made them hushed tears and they never lasted long, and only at night did he dare to mourn. That is until a week later something happened that made Harry stop. His scar seared with pain. Harry had fallen off the bed with a 'thud' and at the time was trying to balance him self. It was no use as his he fell back again, his head felt on fire. With eyes blurring he groped in the air trying to find something to steady himself with but accidentally knocked over a lamp next to the bed instead.

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"Why you little…" Harry heard footsteps out in the hall and then his door open, but he couldn't see who it was. "What did you…" Aunt Petunia gasped and before she knew what she was doing, she had kneeled down next to Harry. "Are you all right?" her voice held a suspicious worried tone. 

The pain began to ebb away some before he replied. "Yeah… yeah I'm fine… just… just hit my head on the cabinet." He lied as he rubbed his forehead. Aunt Petunia looked at him closely with what looked like worry, before she stood up. She walked briskly to the door before returning to her regular posture. 

"You better clean this mess up, boy, before Vernon gets back from work." She said her voice back to a menacing drip. Harry muttered 'Sure' as she closed the door. But instead he went to his trunk and got out some parchment and ink. He went over to his desk and sat down. 

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He had been happy. Voldemort had been pleased with something. But what could it be…damn! If I wasn't always sent to this… this… place! If only I'd know what was going on! Maybe I should get a hold of someone, maybe Lupin…He rested his chin onto his left hand and picked up the piece of parchment and just as the quill touched…

BANG!

Harry jumped up, over-turning his chair, and whisked his wand out of his jean pocket. Turning around he could see a big brown owl, looking quite stunned, hovering outside the window. Harry replaced his wand into his pocket and hurriedly opened the window. 

"Watch it!" said Harry. The owl soared through the window and landed on top of Hedwig's cage giving one loud hoot. It held its leg out revealing a piece of neat parchment. The owl hooted again. Harry untied the letter; once off, the owl rose with a sudden hoot and flew out into the afternoon sky. 

He watched after it until it made a sharp turn and was lost behind one of the buildings. Then he opened up his note.

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Dear Harry,

I hope you are doing all right. I know you have a lot on your mind now and you probably are eager to leave those cruel people who know nothing of what happened. But any way, before I get too carried away, I just wanted to let you know that something happened at the Burrow and you won't be able to go there for a good part of the summer. (Harry began to breathe faster and his heart felt like it was choking him. _Were they all right? What happened! _He read on and was relieved at what he saw.) _See, Percy paid a little visit to the Burrow yesterday and… well that just wasn't a good idea. Fred and George had some of their "gadgets" from the joke shop with them and decided to teach Percy a thing or two after he told Mrs. Weasley she was being stupid… Let's just say the whole family, excluding Mr. Weasley who was away on business, won't want to go out in public any time soon. So, I just thought you should know that you're welcome to stay here at my house until you can go to Ron's. My parents said it was fine and Moony and the others 'Okayed' it also, but I'd understand if you'd rather spend some time to yourself…But if you decide you want to come I can pick you up next Monday around noon. Have a good day!_

Love always,

Hermione 

Harry was truly grateful to Hermione's parents, Lupin and the Order, and Hermione herself as he hurriedly scribbled out a note saying that he accepted her offer. He knew that with his best friend around he wouldn't feel alone and maybe his pain would cease to hurt him all the time. All he had was another week before he could leave this place and be back in touch with the wizarding world and friends. Now all he had to do was wait.

~*`^`*~

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday went by somewhat slower than usual but never the less Saturday came and brought night along soon after. 

Harry was reading one of the _Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use against the Dark Arts _books, that he received from Sirius and Lupin, when the door flew open. In the light Harry could see a flustered looking Uncle Vernon with a bag in his hand.

"Now you listen here." He growled. "Your Aunt and I are going away for a few days on a, a… business trip." He stopped and grinned. "And Dudley doesn't want to go. So he'll be staying _here_."

"No, make him go then!" Harry protested.

"And leave _you _alone in _my _house! I don't think so; I wasn't born yesterday boy. Heaven's knows what you'll do!" he continued now, in a hissing voice. "And if I hear that did anything, anything at all, I'll throw you to the curb and let the dogs have you. Understand?" Harry nodded his head mutely and Vernon left the room, slamming the door behind him. 

Harry went back to reading and waited until he heard the Dursley car speed down the road. No sooner than about 5 minutes later the doorbell rang and Harry could hear voices of Dudley and his gang down in the den. _Great! _He thought sarcastically as he heard the stereo being turned on. _What, is he throwing a bloody party or something?_

Yes he was. That round spoiled brat of a Dursley 'rocked' the house all night long and early into the morning. Howls of laughter, the sound of breaking china and the unmistakable smell of smoke filled the house, depriving Harry of any sleep at all. 

"One more day to go." He muttered to himself through gritted teeth. "One more day to go…" Rolling over on his bed, he took his pillow and threw it over his head. And that was how he spent Sunday morning. 

~*`^`*~

Hagrid and Grawp were playing wizard chess in the Gryffindor common room while Ron was in Hagrid's cabin making crumple cakes and Harry was in the Forbidden Forest uprooting trees. Then the centaurs came with Umbridge on their back. She stepped down and walked over to Harry and suddenly he shrunk and she had to bend over to talk to him. "Harry…" Her pink cardigan dissolved and was replaced by a plaid skirt and a white tank top. "Harry. Harry!" Umbridge's face was then replaced by a girl's face… _Dang, she looks good. _Harry caught himself thinking. _What a nice dream…_ "Harry, wake up!" The forest disappeared, Umbridge and the Centaurs did too but the girl remained.

"Hermione!" Harry said in surprise and stood up. She smiled and gave him a hug.

"Nice to see you too, Harry." She laughed and began looking around the room. "Your room is a mess." She continued picking up some socks off the floor and holding them up. "Well, I guess this is nothing compared to down stairs."

Harry seeing his socks waved around could fell his face become a bit hot and snatched them back from her. "Well I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow so I haven't packed yet, and… wait what _are _you doing here? What happened to coming tomorrow?" 

"Well, Dad and Mum went out of town to visit my uncle. He's had a stroke and they'll be taking care of him for a bit and won't be back for a few days. So, I thought I'd go ahead and come and get you. I hope that's okay. I was a little worried at what your Aunt and Uncle would say when I just showed up on the doorstep, but the door was already open." Her face became stern. "I hope you didn't partake in what I saw down there. There are girls and boys passed out all over the place!" 

Harry shook his head. "That git threw a party as soon as Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia left the house."

She let out an 'oh' and said quietly, "I hope you don't mind my being early."

"Not at all! The sooner I leave this place, the better." 

~*`^`*~

With Hermione's help, Harry had his trunk packed in no time. He went down stairs to call a cab and was disgusted at what he saw: Every member of Dudley's gang was, indeed, passed out with either food hanging out of their mouth or either food on their clothes. Victoria, Dudley's girlfriend, was lying on the floor and had a tiny black shirt on that reveled her chubby-ness. Dudley wasn't down here though. _Must've gone to his room. _Harry thought as he picked up the phone.

Within the time after he got off the phone, Harry could hear yelling upstairs. He darted through the living room, through the hall, and right up into his room. That's where he saw Hermione being held in a bear hug almost by a wasted Dudley, and right at that instant one of Dudley's chubby hands traveled down and squeezed Hermione's butt. 

She turned different shades of red and screamed, "HOW DARE YOU, YOU STUPID GIT!" she managed, before the outraged Harry could get there, to maneuver her leg around and in an instant kneed Dudley in the groans. He let go of her and fell to the floor whimpering. "That should teach you not to go around assuming that all girls are yours!" fumed Hermione just as Harry grabbed the scruff of the neck and dragged him out into the hall.

"TOUCH HER AGAIN AND I'LL CURSE YOU PIG BOY!" Harry slammed the door and turned around. "Are you okay?" To his surprise Hermione walked up and threw her arms around him. That's about the time when he realized that he was hugging her back and blushing. 

He pulled away and smiled down at her. "Let's go wait out in the yard. The cab should be here soon." 

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End file.
